# Dunhill Pipes



## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

OK, who out there has a Dunhill pipe or two? I still haven't convinced myself to pull the trigger for one of these. (Sheesh do they have gold in them?)

If you've got a Dunhill, tell me about it. I'd like to get more info before pulling such a large trigger.


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

owaindav said:


> OK, who out there has a Dunhill pipe or two? I still haven't convinced myself to pull the trigger for one of these. (Sheesh do they have gold in them?)
> 
> If you've got a Dunhill, tell me about it. I'd like to get more info before pulling such a large trigger.


Dave I have two. The first one I bought was an older estate Dunhill and then I bought a new one last year. They are both shell briar billiards but the newer one has the bamboo extension for the stem. Honestly, they both smoke great but the older one is the best smoker. The oil curing processes were probably better in the older days. Still the quality of the smoke is hard to match and of my whole collection I only have one pipe I like to smoke as much as the older Dunhill and it too was an estate pipe- A Becker billiard of Algerian Briar. Sometimes you can do better getting an estate and save money.


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## Senator (Feb 8, 2008)

I own one...a 2005 shell briar - grp 4.

I'm not anti-Dunhill...but I can honestly say I have many, many other pipes that outperform the Dunnie.

In my opinion, it's the name you're buying...not the great smoker you would hope for. Buy one if you simply "want" to own one...not because you expect the clouds to part and the choirs begin to sing when you first light one up.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

owaindav said:


> OK, who out there has a Dunhill pipe or two? I still haven't convinced myself to pull the trigger for one of these. (Sheesh do they have gold in them?)
> 
> If you've got a Dunhill, tell me about it. I'd like to get more info before pulling such a large trigger.


I have a 2005 Dunhill. It is a nicely made, good smoker. It is nothing special. Modern Dunhills have nothing specific to distinguish them from other high-end pipes besides their name. They make beautiful pipes from quality briar. A lot of people do that. Dunhill hasn't oil cured their briar since at least the late 60s, and they do very little but finishing work on the briar they receive today.

That being said, if you see one that you love and you have the money you are likely to get a very nice pipe; just not one that justifies their exorbitant prices.

My recommendation would be to spend your money on an estate Duhilll from the 60s or earlier. pulversbriar.com, finepipes.com, smokingpipes.com etc all have nice, vintage Duhills from the eras in which they made some of the best pipes in the world.


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

Interesting article here on Dunhill.

Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipe Smoking


> The Brand Myth
> 
> Several pipe brands are believed to have specific character or qualities. Each of the major high-grade brands seems to have its champions. For example, many collectors of the ultra high grade Chonowitsch pipes claim that these smoke better than any other brand. Dunhill is another example of a brand that is claimed to have a superior character. Rich Esserman, a very knowledgeable collector, has mentioned several times in his fine reports, that he believes his Dunhill pipes are more suited to full orientals with less latakia, while Castello pipes "dull down" that flavor of heavy latakia. Rich also stated that "the brand of pipe does have a significant influence on the taste of the tobacco." Thus, the smoking character of the Dunhill is a great place to begin our analysis. I will attempt to show that there is so much ambiguity around the character of a Dunhill and other brands that claims about brand specificity just do not wash.
> 
> ...


I can only vouch for my own experience and as I mentioned the older dunhill smokes very well, the newer one is nice but not special. Did I get lucky or is there something to the older Dunhills and the curing process. I cant really say but if you like a pipe buy it for the pipe and its quality not so much the brand name. Dunhill is quite a brand name isnt it? Kind of like Harley Davidson in a way only more sheik.


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

Senator said:


> Buy one if you simply "want" to own one...not because you expect the clouds to part and the choirs begin to sing when you first light one up.


You mean if I buy a Dunhill all my Borkum Riff, won't taste like Balkan Sobranie 759? Dang.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

I have three.
As has been suggested, get an older one.


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## dbreazeale (Apr 6, 2008)

From my own experience, they smoke and perform just like they were intended to...just like a briar pipe. Well cured, engineered, drilled and finished. Like any other good smoking pipe you would want or expect from any other maker. I've got 19 of them. From 1912/15 to 1975. Those old pipes were quality.

You like them or you don't or you could really care less. For every person you ask that likes them you could find 10 or more that don't like them. You'll just have to decide for yourself if you decide to get one. YMMV


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## dmgizzo (Dec 13, 2010)

Good thread and great question Dave, I have been cruising the Bay in search of a sub $100 Dunnie for a few months now, missed out on a couple due to bad timing ( work GRRRR :mischief: ) but eventually I will score.

But, still interested as well in hearing those opinions so keep em coming !


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

I hope to get a Dunhill someday, if I can find one cheap enough, old enough, and nice enough. Talk about picky...


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## Variables (Dec 2, 2009)

The only Dunhill I have is a 1972 Shell Briar, grp 4. Just purchased it right before Christmas as a birth year pipe. No complaints whatsoever. The craftsmanship is outstanding. Having said that, I have pipes I like better. Won't be selling this one though :mrgreen:


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## tedswearingen (Sep 14, 2010)

I have three Dunhills from the 1960s. I like them, they're cool, and they have a magical appeal, but when every thing is said and done I believe a lot of the mystery is in my imagination.


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## RecoilRob (Jan 3, 2011)

I have about 50-60 or so Dunhills, spanning the years from the early 1920's right up to 2000-2001. Some are NIB and others I got at flea markets for $1 with repalcement stems and such. The older ones usually smoke better but then again they are well broken in and have a nice cake in them. Some of the new ones smoke better than others, like any other pipe.

For any type of item to be collectible it needs to well documented, i.e. have enough nomenclature so the minutiae can be discussed between collectors, and there needs to be enough of them made to insure a substantial amount of collectors can buy them, but not so many they are ubiquitous. Dunhill satisfied all of these requirements, as did many other makers bur Alfred was a marketing genius.


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## pomorider (Nov 14, 2009)

MarkC said:


> I hope to get a Dunhill someday, if I can find one cheap enough, old enough, and nice enough. Talk about picky...


Fleabay wil be your best friend. I picked one up for $20 and it was in great condition.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

Hermit said:


> I have three.
> As has been suggested, get an older one.


+1

My 1964 shell briar, a barely-smoked gift from my brother (the original owner) is like a Ferrari in a garage full of Chevys. Most of my pipes are 40-50 years old anyhow but this one is a stand out. I have a 1990's Dunhill poker which is lovely but lacks the same smoking ease. Both are built like brick shitters. Old wood matters? My imagination? I dunno.


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## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

Folks, I've really appreciated reading all your thoughts on the ever popular Dunhills. I've taken the advice and begun looking on fleaBay for an older one. I've found a bulldog that I love. Now if we can just snipe it! LOL

If I don't get one of the ones I'm looking at, I'll keep on looking. I'm glad I posted this or I would have gone out and paid a lot of money for a new one.

Thanks again!


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## canadianpiper (Nov 27, 2010)

I too recently picked up a dunhill for a song, someone getting rid of Grandpa's collection which I found out dates from 1960 to 65 which looked to be smoked one time if even that. I cleaned it and smoked some of my Uni flake and loved every minute of it. That being said my $60 Mario Grandi smokes just as well.


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